When should a calf be implanted?

Asked by: Sara Johnson

None of the implants approved for nursing calves are approved for calves less than 30-45 days of age. One implant between 2 months of age and weaning has been shown to have little impact on future productive performance of heifers. However, little benefit has been shown as well.

When should you implant calves?

These implants are typically administered when the calves are between 2 months and 4 months of age. Research has shown that implants given during the suckling phase will increase average daily gain (ADG) of steer calves by approximately 0.10 pound per day. The response in heifers is slightly lower.

How long can a calf stay in the birth canal?

A calf can survive in the uterus for 8 to 10 hours if delivery does not progress beyond the early phases of stage 2. However, delivery should be completed within 2 hours after the water sac or feet first appear. Stage 3 or membrane expulsion stage is the final expulsion of the fetal membranes after the calf is born.

How soon after calving can you AI?

It takes at least 30 days after calving for a cow’s reproductive tract to return to normal. Therefore, some cows can be bred starting 45-60 days after calving. Your veterinarian should palpate the reproductive tract of each cow as soon after 30 days after calving as possible to make sure the cow is ready to breed.

What is implanting a calf?

Implants. Implants are small pellets that contain a growth stimulant that is slowly released over a period of time. Implants work by increasing circulating levels of somatotropin and insulin-like growth-factor 1. This causes an increase in the secretion of growth hormone, which increases muscle growth.

Can you breed heifers that have been implanted?

Only Ralgro and Synovex-C implants have been approved by the FDA for use in heifers to be saved for breeding. Ralgro can be used in heifers that are at least 1 month of age and Synovex-C can be used in heifers that are 45 days of age or older.

At what age should a calf be weaned?

Though calves naturally wean themselves around ten months, on beef farms calves are weaned when they are around six months old; for dairy farms, this happens just 24 hours after they are born.

How long should you leave a heifer calving?

Most cows will calve on their own so once signs of calving begins I usually recommend leaving six hours before handling animals per vaginum to make sure things are progressing ok. Earlier intervention may be warranted with at risk animals like those carrying twins.

How long before calving will a heifer bag up?

An udder full of colostrum.



And unless she doesn’t bag up until a couple hours before she’s about to calve, because some cows are like that. Also, she can start bagging up as early as 8 weeks before actually calving. So basically, sometime before she calves and after she calves, her udder will bag up.

Do cows lay down to give birth?

Contractions are very strong, and the cow or heifer is usually lying on her side. The fetal membranes, and then the calf, enter the birth canal. With a normal presentation, both front feet emerge first. The feet will often go in and out several times before the head emerges.

How long does it take to recover from calf implants?

The overall recovery period for calf augmentation surgery is anything between 2 to 8 weeks. In the first two weeks following surgery, you will be required to elevate your legs as much as possible in order to ensure healing.

What are the benefits of implanting cattle?

Growth-promoting implants offer beef cattle producers a safe and effective way to increase calf weight gains. Implants increase production of muscle tissue and often reduce body fat production. This results in significant improvements in both growth rate and feed efficiency.

Are cattle implants safe?

Beef from cattle that have had implants administered is safe for human consumption and contains far less estrogenic activity than many other foods. Implant being placed in the ear of a calf.

Why do livestock producers give implants?

Growth-promoting implants have been used in the beef cattle industry for decades. They serve to increase muscle accretion and market weight by increasing both daily gain and feed efficiency. The research studying cattle growth and consumer safety is extensive.

Why are implants given to cattle upon arrival at the feedlot?

“The idea was to allow high-risk calves to become better acclimated to the feedlot and the new environment in general, as well as to get over any respiratory disease challenges they had upon arrival.

How long are cattle grain finished?

100 to 150 days

For grain-finished beef, these cattle are usually in the feedlot for 100 to 150 days. When beef is grain-finished, cattle are free to eat a balanced diet of grain, local feed ingredients, like potato hulls or sugar beets, and hay or forage at the feedyard.

Is cracked corn or whole corn better for cattle?

Processing Corn



Even though corn can be fed whole with satisfactory results, cracking or rolling prior to feeding will increase digestibility by 5 to 10 percent. In most instances, grinding or rolling corn will not markedly improve average daily gain, but proper processing will improve feed conversion efficiency.

How much grain should a calf eat per day?

Calves will need 4 to 5 pounds of a grain-protein mixture per head daily to average 1.2 pounds daily on winter fescue pastures (Table 3). Forage sorghum, small grain and grass legume silages work well for wintering calves but are lower in energy than corn silage.

How old is a 500 pound calf?

During this time their primary source of food is milk from their dam, and the grass or roughage (hay) that is available. At 6-9 months of age the calves are weaned off their dams and placed in a field or pen with other calves of a similar age and weight. Most calves will weigh 500-700 lbs at weaning.

How much should a 3 month old calf weigh?

How Much Does A Calf Weigh?

What weight is best for selling calves?

Cattle are moved at between 750-850 lbs. “About 775 is probably our average weight,” Womack says. “This is the type of cattle feedyards want.” He says they ultimately market cattle based on a general rule — “what price can we make money on — and stay in business for.

How much should a 10 month old calf weigh?

Average Calf Weights by age (Holstein, Jersey, Brown Swiss)

How old is a 400 pound calf?

At the Dickinson Research Extension Center, calves have been weaned successfully at 4 months of age, averaging 400 pounds, with no more complications than normal weaning.

How do I fatten up my calves?

What product do I believe in as far as to promote growth and not let cattle get too fat and to me that's an easy answer. The fitters edge that's. That's a universal feed.

How long does it take a steer to reach 800 lbs?

100 days

Typically, a 550-lb. weaned steer needs to gain 250 lb., Hoppe says. At 2.5 lb. ADG it takes 100 days to reach 800 lb.

What is the best age to butcher a bull?

Age at slaughter “typically” can be from 12 to 22 months of age for the high quality grade market. The reason for the range in age is that some calves are weaned and go directly to a feeding facility and are finished for slaughter.

How do you tell if a steer is finished?

Size positive fat and that is a very good indication that you know what she's getting ready to go to harvest. So when they're not finished. This area will be pointy. And the skin won't be as extended.